A newborn bottlenose dolphin calf swims alongside Jasmine in Vallejo, Calif. on Thursday, Jan. 9, 2014. Bella, a nine-year-old bottlenose dolphin, gave birth to her first calf, but did not immediately bond with the newborn. Animal care staff intervened by introducing two experienced females, Jasmine and Bellaâ€™s mother Chelsea into the pool. Jasmine took the lead and is seen swimming and interacting with the calf; within half an hour, Bella joined in.

Photo: Paul Chinn, The Chronicle

A newborn bottlenose dolphin calf swims alongside Jasmine in...

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A newborn bottlenose dolphin calf swims alongside Jasmine in Vallejo, Calif. on Thursday, Jan. 9, 2014. Bella, a nine-year-old bottlenose dolphin, gave birth to her first calf, but did not immediately bond with the newborn. Animal care staff intervened by introducing two experienced females, Jasmine and Bellaâ€™s mother Chelsea into the pool. Jasmine took the lead and is seen swimming and interacting with the calf; within half an hour, Bella joined in.

Photo: Paul Chinn, The Chronicle

A newborn bottlenose dolphin calf swims alongside Jasmine in...

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Holley Muraco, a reproductive biologist at Six Flags Discovery Kingdom, watches a newborn bottlenose dolphin calf swim with Jasmine and its mother Bella in Vallejo, Calif. on Thursday, Jan. 9, 2014. Bella, a nine-year-old bottlenose dolphin, gave birth to her first calf, but did not immediately bond with the newborn. Animal care staff intervened by introducing two experienced females, Jasmine and Bellaâ€™s mother Chelsea into the pool. Jasmine took the lead and is seen swimming and interacting with the calf; within half an hour, Bella joined in.

Photo: Paul Chinn, The Chronicle

Holley Muraco, a reproductive biologist at Six Flags Discovery...

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Bella, a pregnant bottlenose dolphin at Six Flags Discovery Kingdom, give birth to a calf in Vallejo, Calif. on Thursday, Jan. 9, 2014.

Photo: Nancy Chan, Six Flags Discovery Kingdom

Bella, a pregnant bottlenose dolphin at Six Flags Discovery...

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Bella, a pregnant bottlenose dolphin at Six Flags Discovery Kingdom, gives birth to a calf in Vallejo, Calif. on Thursday, Jan. 9, 2014.

Michael Muraco, animal care director at Six Flags Discovery Kingdom, records a newborn bottlenose dolphin calf swimming with Jasmine and its mother Bella in Vallejo, Calif. on Thursday, Jan. 9, 2014. Bella, a nine-year-old bottlenose dolphin, gave birth to her first calf, but did not immediately bond with the newborn. Animal care staff intervened by introducing two experienced females, Jasmine and Bellaâ€™s mother Chelsea into the pool. Jasmine took the lead and is seen swimming and interacting with the calf; within half an hour, Bella joined in.

The dolphin at Six Flags Discovery Kingdom in Vallejo who drew interest from researchers for possibly vocalizing to her unborn baby gave birth to a healthy male Thursday. Here he swims alongside mother Bella (left) and Jasmine. Minutes after the tail emerged, Bella rubbed her belly on a ledge around the pool, hopped back in the water, and the calf came out. The 40-pound baby surfaced, took its first breath through its blowhole, and repeated the mother's distinctive "baby whistle," the same one trainers heard Bella making during pregnancy.